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In this chapter, the writer wants to analyze how gender inequality is portrayed in Dreams of Trespass novel. Furthermore, the writer only focuses on the women’s fight against gender inequality in the novel toward social, religious, economic, law, political, and education gender inequality.
A. Against Gender Inequality
1. Gender Inequality in Society
Social gender inequality toward women emerged is “when the social and culture powers are stronger than her own sense of self, she is objectified” (Mandell, 2003: 125). Objectification means “the greater the loss of individual self and the greater the social appropriation of a women’ experience, feelings, and existence” (Mandell, 2003: 125). It means women are socially in domestic sphere than in public sphere.
The setting of Dreams of Trespass novel is Morocco in the late of nineteenth century. At that time, Morocco becomes patriarchal country. Therefore the social relationship is constructed with which women are less powerful than men. Socially, Moroccan women are under men authority. It is described in Dreams of Trespass novel. It is the example of social inequality that reflected
in this novel.
Just as you were statrting to have a good time, the men would come i with their own projects, whic often involved a great deal of discussion, such as going over business and debating the news and then you would have to move elsewhere. (DoT, 1994: 83)
This statement above shows that men have authority in social relationship. It is shows that women should move to elsewhere when men come in with their business. It also means that women are lower than men socially. Other statement in this novel that shows about gender inequality socially like what is stated on page 35:
Slavery had been prevalent in Morocco, Yasmina said, even after the French had made it illegal, and many of her co-wives had been bought in slave markets. (DoT, 1994: 35)
It shows that women in socially deemed to be goods or things that could be sold or bought. And it meant that women are subordinate in social than men. The other statement that has equal meaning with the statement above is like what is stated on page 36. In this statement shows that women become victim in all violence that happened in social. And it also means that women are reputed be a weak people socially.
When the Makhzen, or state, does not express the will of the people, Yasmina said, women always pay a high price, because insecurity and violence set in. (DoT, 1994: 36)
kidnapped from their parents or their village. They were kidnaped and then sell to the rich men as their slaves.
But also, during all this turmoil, little girls was being stolen from their poor parents in the mountains and sold in the big cities to rich men. (DoT, 1994: 36)
Others statement in this novel shows that women are only disturber if they do some activity outside of house or harem. Why it can happen? Because if women doing activity outside of harem, it is no more than an entertainment for men. So, in other word, women are same with entertainment. And it also means that women only something to be enjoyed not to be appreciated.
If women were free to run about in the street, men would stop working, because they would want to have fun. So if famine were to be avoided, women had to stay in their place at home. (DoT, 1994: 40)
2. Gender Inequality in Religion
Religious is “observant of religious laws and practices” (Babylon Pro Subscription: 2001). Religious beliefs and practices powerfully influence social contract gender in universe. It is because “religion is among the domains that mostly influence their construction of reality and society” (Bonvillain, 1995: 204). In Dreams of Trespass novel religious gender inequality is reflected
in Muslim society. The writer gives three example of religious gender inequality that reflected in this novel. The first like what is stated on page 32:
That statement above shows that women in religion do not have equal right as men. It also means that a person who becomes the leader in Muslim is men than women.
Other inequality that happens in religion is reflected like what is stated in page 94 that shows as a Muslim, every woman in Morocco should wear veils to make them different with other religion, but it does not occur for men to wear head covered or headdress.
Just as the Muslim men asked the women to wear veil, so they could be spotted immediately. No one really knows why men force us to wear veils. Fear of the difference makes people behave in very strange ways. (DoT, 1994: 94)
The other case of gender inequality in religion appears like what is stated in page 234:
Besides, do not forget that Allah has given men the right to have four wives. If my son ever uses his sacred right, he could go to his second wife’s bed, when you drive him out with your henna stink. (DoT, 1994: 234)
That statement above also shows that men have authority in their life. They can marry with women four times in their life, but it does not occur to women to do it.
3. Gender Inequality in Law
the sixteenth century the code of laws “were gone and nothing protected women from men’s wish” (De Beauvoir, 1993: 108).
In 1922, when they passed the constitution of 1923 restricting the vote to males. (DoT, 1994: 131)
At that statement above, it can be seen that the government law only give right for men to vote, not for women. It shows that women in law-side are not reputed and do not have right as men to vote. And it also shows that in law women are not equal with men and they cannot strive to get equality in law. Other statement shows that women in Muslim rule also do not have equal right. They should follow their husband words.
She was just following behind, as women do when travelling with their husbands and male relatives. (DoT, 1994: 133)
In customary law, women also do not have equal right. They should be kept in harem, because culturally women are reputed as weak people. All of their needs already served by men.
All respectable men provided for the womenfolk, so that they did not have to go out into dangerous, unsafe streets. (DoT, 1994:46)
The other customary law that make women do not have equal right was shown in this novel. It can be seen on page 14:
So he asked he vizier to bring him a virgin every night. The king would then marry her, stay with her that night, and order her executed at dawn. (DoT, 1994: 14)
wife after a night with him. That habit was done every night. The habit of that king shows that women only as an object to satisfy the king. It also shows that women do not have equal right in customary law.
Children could step out of the gate, if their parents permitted it, but not grownup women. Roaming freely in the streets was every women dream. (DoT, 1994: 22)
From this statement above, it can be seen that one of harem rule is prohibition for women to go out of harem. And it shows that women were covered in harem by that rule, and they cannot do what they want to do.
4. Gender Inequality in Economy
Economic gender inequality happened when men are “employed as laborers in local and distant towns and women remain at home” (Bonvillain, 1995: 217). In fact, women who perform domestic duties are unpaid (Bonvillain, 1995: 170). Hence, women are dependent on money earned exclusively by men. It is shown in Dreams of Trespass novel when a man and a woman at work, only man gets fee and not for woman. It was like what is stated on page 63:
That statement above shows that if a woman work in a public sphere, she does not get fee for their work. Although she worked hard, it is nothing than men do.
5. Gender Inequality in Politics
Political gender injustice is closed to women were “no better off: her political rights were none and the mores were severe” (De Beauvoir, 1993: 108). It is reflected in Dreams of Trespass novel.
They decided to appoint a sultan who would organize things, exercise sultan or authority, and tell the others what to do. All the rest would have to obey. (DoT, 1994: 43)
From that statement, it can be seen that sultan is men. It reflects that women do not have authority to be sultan and they cannot join in the political business. Other statement that shows about political gender inequality through women is like what stated on page 43:
They reflected some more and then another man had another idea. “We should organize a race to catch women,” he suggested, “and the man who catches the most women will be appointed sultan.” (DoT, 1994: 43)
6. Gender Inequality in Education
Education is “learning, instruction, imparting of knowledge” (Babylon Pro Subscription: 2001). Geder in Education is “the experiences of male and females differ greatly in nclassrooms as do the outcomes of schooling of occupation and monetary reward” (Mandell, 2003: 273). It can be seen in Dreams of Trespass novel. Most of educated are men. Men in Morocco like
study about anything but women cannot do it.
The men were only ones in the house supposed to have access to a huge cabinet radio which they kept in the right corner of their salon, with the cabinet doors licked when the radio was not in use. (DoT, 1994: 7)
From the statement above, it can be seen that women forbid get some experience in their life. Even for access the radio in harem, women are prohibited to do it. If they be found out access the radio, they will be investigated by men and only men that have authority in accessing the radio. Other educational inequality for women is also reflected in this statement below.
For you know the problem with women today is that they are powerless. And powerlessness stems from ignorance and a lack of education. (DoT, 1994: 170)
Mother was completely convinced of this too, and said that much of the reason why men kept women in harems was to prevent them from becoming too smart. (DoT, 1994: 186)
That statement shows that women get oppression from men. They were kept in harem by men, because men do not want if women become smart. And they did not get any experiences or education from outside of harem.
B. Discussion
The analysis of Dreams of Trespass novel is including true story of Moroccan women’s life in the middle of nineteenth century. Dreams of Trespass novel describes the gender inequality toward
women in Morocco. There are six gender inequalities which are reflected in Dreams of Trespass novel. They are social, religious, law, economic, political and educational gender inequality. However, to show about gender inequality condition when a woman in patriarchal system. Gender inequality above is profoundly explained.
Dreams of Trespass novel is reflection of the condition in
Moroccan society. This novel can be called as the picture that still happen in the society especially about gender inequality for women. This novel is based on true story a courtesan of Morocco in the middle of nineteenth century. This novel shows the stereotype customs that are completely dominant.
Men are powered toward women. It is considerable evidence that women have been in subordinate position. It is also still happens in Morocco until this period although it is not mortally than other country in nineteenth century. The publishing of this novel is like an allusion to the system of life in around the world. Because in that time Fatima Mrnissi want to show about gender discrimination is bad for women.
During that time in Morocco, women’s role and participation is getting increased. It means women have opportunity in public spheres, but the sigma that women are always subordinate to men still exists. Although the Moroccan nationalist was against the patriarchal system, but inequality for women in this period still exists. It can be proved in earning. Women get lower earning instead they get nothing, and men get more fee. Another proof is women who have position in government or political business are none of them that can join there. Men still dominate in all aspect of life and women are subordinated group. It is the same with the condition that reflected in Dreams of Trespass novel.
By using Dreams of Trespass novel, Fatima Mernissi wants to criticize the social life in Morocco and others country that still obtain gender inequality. There are some social critical in Dreams of Trespass novel to the social life around the world. First, discrimination gender and oppression against women still exist during past until the nineteenth century. Here, she wants to say that women in such condition should have effort to get their rights.
A man has more than one wife but he cannot be fair to all his wife, and it caused divorced between them. Women should struggle to fight their right in this life. From that discussion, it can be concluded that this novel portrays several aspects of life in Morocco in the middle of nineteenth century.
